As I mentioned, if you think about quitting every day, and it’s only the fear of the lost revenue and finding another job quickly enough that keeps you going to work, you’re in the wrong job. We all have bills to pay and responsibilities to meet, but if that is the only thing that motivates you to show up to work, you should be actively looking for something more fulfilling or enjoyable.

You don’t enjoy the work itself

When you actually find the stuff you’re paid to do all day uncomfortable, boring or distasteful, you should probably try something else. The way to succeed is to excel at something, and hopefully to do it with a positive attitude. Both are impossible when you hate what you’re doing. In a recent Workopolis poll, 29% of our users said that “Enjoying the work itself” was their most important career goal. (Ranked as more important than becoming wealthy or even just achieving financial stability.)

You dread the idea of going to work

When work has become so unpleasant that you dread the very idea of having to go in, you’re in the wrong job. Having it weigh on you that much means that you can’t even enjoy your time off because of the looming return to work. This can lead to depression, substance abuse, stress-related illnesses and other health consequences that are just not worth it. Stay healthy and go someplace else.

The team is out to get you

This can happen when someone above you is looking to replace you, or when you are just not a good fit with the team and they have formed a clique to oust you. Either way, it’s time to start looking for another gig. Signs that your coworkers are aligning against you include:

– credit for your accomplishments being given to others
– blame for any setbacks being directed to you
– feedback or comments on your work being sent to people over your head rather than to you directly
– team members routinely passive-aggressively putting down or questioning every decision you make
– you’re told that your new boss doesn’t care about the things you’re good at (or about success at all) if it means contradicting their opinion

The rest of your life is no good either (because of work)

If you don’t enjoy your job, but it pays you enough money for you to enjoy the lifestyle you’ve always wanted, and affords you the work/life balance that you crave, it might be worth staying. I think that people limit their potential by engaging in careers they are not passionate about, but not everyone is passionate about work. Sometimes it’s just a job. However, if you don’t like it, it doesn’t pay enough to support your desired lifestyle, and you don’t have the work/life balance that you need – it’s probably the wrong job.

There is no growth or learning potential

When the position you are in is a dead-end, you’re probably in the wrong job. The trouble with dead ends is that even if it seems safe where you are currently – everything changes. When things change and you have nowhere to go, you’re in trouble. And if you haven’t been learning along the way at work, your skills will eventually become dated and less valuable on the market.